Pot Kettle Black
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| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Pot Kettle Black |
| Author(s): | the stylus |
| Date(s): | 2002 |
| Length: | |
| Genre(s): | |
| Fandom(s): | |
| Relationship(s): | |
| External Links: | Read at trekiverse |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Pot Kettle Black is a Star Trek: VOY story by the stylus.
It was the winner of a 2002 ASC Award.
Reactions and Reviews
Damn. Stories like this make me want to write Voyager fic again. I have to say, this is one of my favourite Janeways. The Janeway as seen through the eyes of someone else - someone close - someone who doesn't really understand her but wants to. In this story she's brilliant and unbelievable and incredible and I soooo loved her this way. The Stylus also has a wonderful feel for the most delicate of language - one or two phrases will stand out and say exactly what you want them to say in ways that are surprising and extraordinary. The mood is dark - but not black in that bleak way. Dusky, perhaps is a better word. It's a very touching story, written with a deft touch. I love this writer's work. [1]
Every time I read this fine story, it reminds me of how much I miss the stylus in VOY fandom. Her Janeway is a wonderful creation -- true to canon, yes, but with depths and darknesses that the stylus carefully etches in her acid-sharp prose. I quite enjoy this piece, which shows Janeway from Gretchen's perceptive point of view. And what a fine Gretchen -- about as far from the bland passivity of "Mosaic" as you can get. A line I like: about Kathryn, Gretchen muses, "I got a stranger back; but then, I sent one out." [2]
Not the usual portrayal of Gretchen Janeway at all, but one I like very much. This story is absolutely wonderful in how it captures the characters of Janeway and her mother and establishes what their relationship had been like prior to Voyager, as well as glimpses of what Gretchen really thinks about her daughter. So many lovely, succinct lines, too many to quote here. This is one of the best stories I've read this year. [3]
This story grabs you from the first, opening paragraph as it sketches a fascinating first person portrait of Janeway's mother. A woman who one time found her smashing of a plate the kind of satisfaction she felt should have been "reserve for the laughter of children"--but who then collected every shard for the recycler. That speaks to both Gretchen Janeway's passionate intensity and her control and does so through a vivid tableau. I love how the shattering of that plate figures later in the story. "Pot Kettle Black" continues in that manner, with a powerful description of the Voyager crew being beamed down to their homecoming. Gretchen's reflections on her daughter as they are reunited are poignant and ring true to life. I liked her thought that all parents hope their children will find a "way to get past" the parent's own failings. I like the ending, harsh and damning it may be, but honest nevertheless bracing. This is Kathryn Janeway to the life you think as seen by the one perspective that knows her too well. [4]
It's always fun to find a story during the awards season that I missed the first time. This is a stylish story, showcasing some wonderful wordcraft along with the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. Very nice. [5]
Pot Kettle Black is a marvelous story! The Stylus has captured a Gretchen Janeway who I truly believe in. And given us in the process a unique look at one Kathryn Janeway and the relationship between these two strong-willed women. The Gretchen in this story is both strong and weak, and quite human. She is the perfect Starfleet wife, but also one with profound issues that perfectly reflect the experiences of any husband or wife that has had to be both mother and father to his/her children while the other parent is away for long periods. It's a damned hard life, and this story doesn't shirk from showing that. I love that The Stylus is willing to deal with the good and the bad in this. The reunion scene is both touching and difficult to watch, but it is full of truth and grace and everything that is "real." I am very impressed with this story, with the spot-on characterizations and lovely prose, and I look forward to more offerings this year from The Stylus! [6]
This is a terrific story from Gretchen's POV. The language is beautiful, the heartbreak inherent in every paragraph. This story does a wonderful job of *showing*, not telling, exactly what it means to be a wife or a mother of someone in 'fleet. It's especially poignant given current events. I'd love to see more from the stylus. [7]
A poignant mother-daughter story that really brings out the difficulties of life in a military family. Excellent description -- very well crafted. [8]
Gretchen and Kathryn both have a depth of character in this story that I don't see too often. Especially Gretchen. It's nice to know that not everyone's perfect and some things aren't as easy to fix as we might think. [9]
Gretchen Janeway observes her daughter. So many great things here—a Gretchen who’s angry and complex and refreshingly self-aware.[10]
References
- ^ Christinecgb This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Kelly Chambliss This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Rocky This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Rabble Rouser This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Penny Proctor This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Djinn This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Seema This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Ventura33 This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ Cait N. This is the Digest from 2002 for the Category of: Voyager General Story
- ^ "Big Block of Voyager Fic Recs". Archived from the original on 2022-08-31.